


Forsake not old friends for new

by Wibbili_Wobbly



Series: THE STRANGER FROM GALLIFREY [10]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Aliens, F/M, Future, Future Fic, Gen, Science Fiction, Space Flight, Spaceships, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 15:29:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29155869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wibbili_Wobbly/pseuds/Wibbili_Wobbly
Summary: A long time has passed since Doctor and Stranger said their las goodbyes. However, even this couldn't prevent them getting into trouble together again. Though the Doctor had changed his face, some things are always the same.
Series: THE STRANGER FROM GALLIFREY [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1686751
Kudos: 1





	Forsake not old friends for new

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Старый друг лучше новых двух](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29155650) by [Wibbili_Wobbly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wibbili_Wobbly/pseuds/Wibbili_Wobbly). 



"This is a fascinating American canyon known for its beauty and remarkable silence..."

"Oh, thanks!" the girl interrupted. "If I only knew that my request to show me a beach would end up like this I would've reached it by bus!"

"I don't understand why you're so cross. There's sand — what else do you need?"

This was the dispute between a girl and an elderly-looking grey-haired man, in the middle of a canyon, near the blue police box. An unusual picture indeed.

"Sand is what comes out of you!" Clara had rarely been so aggressive but now she felt her fair right to be furious.

"Jokes about sand are not relevant", the Doctor replied with restraint still not taking her displeasure.

"Oh, look, what's that? Such a nice idea to put a water closet right in this middle of nowhere"

" _Water closet?_ " the Doctor thought for a while and noticeably perked up. "There are two options. Either it actually was a such a nice idea or... We might meet _an old friend of mine_. Let's go", the Time Lord walked quickly to that plastic box of bright colour.

The Doctor approached it, ran his hand along the wall, knocked briefly and opened the door. No sooner had the intruders looked in, than the light inside instantly went out. The sound of the plastic door opening echoed through the huge room and a streak of light from the entrance went across the floor right into the darkness.

" ** _Doctor?_** Is that you?" three was a plaintive female voice somewhere from the depths.

***

From the middle of the room, light spread everywhere, illuminating the already familiar to the Doctor TARDIS. The same TARDIS that once left him speechless almost two lives ago; the same TARDIS in which he said **the last goodbye** to the Stranger on Christmas Eve. _So much time has passed since then!_

"Huh? Damn, what the hell is that?" the girl clearly **didn't recognise** her old friend. "I am actually waiting for the Doctor. And what do I get instead? Some old guy who, by some miracle, has not yet crumbled into the sand!" she frowned.

"And you said jokes about and were not relevant"

The lady from the TARDIS was undoubtedly _the Stranger_. She was habitually sitting on her console. Though she had changed a bit: her hair had become somehow noticeably longer and instead of a usual white shirt, she was wearing a T-shirt with the phrase:

" 'Don't ask me how'? Seriously?", the Doctor frowned.

"Wow, you can still see objects from the distance? Excellent", the Time Lady made a sound on her ukulele, sitting cross-legged.  
  


"Wait, why are you sitting here? Alone. In the dark. In the middle of a canyon", Clara asked confusedly.

"Ah, so you're not alone", the Stranger waved to the girl. "How cute you are. Block twice if he kidnapped you and holds you hostage"

The Doctor covered Clara's eyes with his hand.

"Ah, I get it", the Stranger continued. "You're his granddaughter, right?"

"Hey!" the Doctor responded offendedly. "Can you just answer the question, huh?"

"Can't you feel it? Stupid humans with your stupid shoes. **The floor is boiling!** The TARDIS has gone mad and now I simply can't even step down, so I'm sitting here and waiting for the Doctor. Two months have passed like this by the way. As always: he promised to help but forgot, disappeared and is still ignoring my signals for help"  
  


"So that is why we are here", realised Clara, aggressively removing Doctor's hand from her face. "Well, but why in the dark and in the canyon?"

"She materialises wherever she pleases. You — earthlings — don't understand. And in the dark as a measure of precaution. My TARDIS does it whenever the intruders come"

The Doctor dropped to one knee at the TARDIS doorstep and held his hand over the floor. It really was steaming with heat.  
The Time Lord walked quickly to the console, with a confident movement threw the Stranger over his shoulder and before she could understand a thing carried her to the exit.

"Oi! Old man, listen, you! Let me go right now! Anybody, help! Some old guy is harassing me"

The Stranger was screaming, kicking and fighting desperately. Though the Doctor ignored this, and Clara burst out laughing looking at this scene. The Time Lord carried the Stranger out of the TARDIS and locked the door from the inside.

"Now you! The pension fund, open up!" the girl pounded furiously on the door. "I will NOT let some earthly great-grandfather hijack my TARDIS! Ugh! The creature that is several stages of development behind"

The time machine soon opened and the Doctor looked out, leaning proudly on the doorframe with his arms crossed.

"Here you go, madam. Don't forget to stumble while entering"

Despite all her scepticism and reluctance to admit this, the Stranger had to accept that some accidental passerby _had just repaired her space machine_. Seems that the girl had just felt her pride crack.

***

The floor was in order again. The Stranger looked sceptically at the Doctor.

"Hardly can I ever imagine what kind of a great miracle has stroke you. I would even ask you how you've managed to do it"

"Ooh, **_don't ask me how_** ", the Time Lord replied smugly.

"No, really", the girl turned to Clara, "if I were you, I would've handed him over to a nursing home a long time ago. This one is dangerous for society"

"Believe me, sometimes these thoughts come to me as well", she giggled in response.

The Stranger grinned and glanced coquettishly at Oswald. The Time Lady found this girl attractive and clearly worth attention.

"By the way, I am the Stranger", she introduced herself and confidently took Clara's hand. "...But you can call me even to the end of the Earth"

From such pressure straight away Clara felt uncomfortable.

"Uhm, I... I'm not sure it's the right thing to do.."

"Oh, come on, what are you, embarrassed? You know, by the way, I once used to be a man. ...Oh, that sounded much worse than it should have. Okay, never mind, forget that"  
  


"How long have you been playing the ukulele?" the Doctor rudely interrupted, taking the instrument and running his hand over the strings.

"Oi, don't touch it!" the Stranger ran up and grabbed the ukulele. "You talk as if **you've known me for a thousand years** or even more. ...As a matter of fact", she looked at Clara clearly showing off, " ** _I can play any type of strings._** Metallic, synthetic, nylon, anti-material, diffractive... Have you heard of Einstein's string theory? I play those ones as well"

The Time Lady spun the console checking if that suspicious man had messed anything up.

"And you also have a guitar behind your back. What for? You play? Or you've stolen it?"

"I do play sometimes"

"Sounds creepy. Clara, I'm telling you, a dangerous guy. And also a _Scotsman_!" exclaimed the Stranger. "Oh, never trust the Scots! _I was once bitten by one of them_. ...And don't ask me how!" anticipating further questions she interrupted expressing one big psychological trauma with all her look.

The Doctor glanced around the room that was so familiar to him. Almost nothing had changed here. Unless only a _metal hand_ made up of gears and mechanisms was sticking out right from the console. The Time Lord raised his eyebrows. He unmistakably recognised that same metal hand from the steampunk created by the Stranger.  
The hand, as usual, showed him the middle finger.

Frowning, the Time Lord asked:  
"And this thing, what is it for?"

"The hand?", asked the Stranger not being distracted from Clara. "Oh, nothing special. Memories of a beautiful era. This one used to be just a thingy for fun but after a cataclysm, it has acquired intelligence. Now he is fitted into my console and helps with travelling, relieving my loneliness. He communicates in dactyl, the alphabet of gestures"

With a characteristic metallic clink, the hand showed the Doctor: " _I. Am. Watching. You_ "

"He is sort of my companion, you know", added the Stranger.

"Aye, I see.." nodded the Time Lord. "Obviously the mind of your every operation"

***

"Well, my dear earthlings", the Stranger clapped her hands. "Since you've happened to save me, I offer you an incredible journey through the boundless space. I bet you've never even dreamed of that!" after these words Clara could barely hold back her laughter. The Stranger continued: "Oh, wait, was there already that part when you come in and go 'Woah, is it bigger on the inside?!' "

Doctor and Clara looked at each other.

"Uh... Yes, it was. You just missed it. We are still shocked, yep", Oswald nodded, then whispered silently to the Time Lord, "Explain, why are we pretending to be surprised?"

"She's my old friend, I have to **teach her lesson**. Just play along", he replied as quietly.  
  


"By the way, have you ever heard of **_the Doctor_**?" the Stranger began. "Well, he's something of... He looks like a rat and is always busy with kind of rubbish. Forgets about his friends of childhood all the time! Don't you know him?"

"No, haven't even heard", the Doctor smiled tightly.

"Phew, well, lucky you are. He's unbearable. And he's always telling unfunny jokes. Well surely he doesn't think so, it's just that _no one has the chance to tell him about it_ "

The Time Lord rolled his eyes and Clara shoved him:  
"You sure we don't know this man? Sound very familiar"

"No, Clara, we **definitely** don't know him", the Doctor hissed back.

The Stranger continued to fiddle with the console.

"Oh, and what's your name?"

"I'm Clara and he is..."

"Ah, okay, never mind. I won't remember anyway. I don't like names. Names are for losers. Although you, Clara, I think I will remember. And you", she pointed at the Doctor, "I'll call you a forefather. 'Cause you're flipping ancient", the Strange once again spun her console with a sweeping move, " _You spin me right 'round, baby Right 'round like a record, baby Right 'round 'round 'round..._ " she sang. "Well, guys, the next station is far space!" the Time Lady lowered the lever.  
  


"Wait, won't your friend ask us what we were doing in the middle of a canyon and how we got there?"

"Seems that she is basically doesn't care about anything but cheap beer. That is possibly why she can remember the only name in a hundred years. It's just that _no one has the chance to tell her about it_ "

The TARDIS made a strange sound and staggered.

***

"You know, not only can she travel in space", the Stranger mysteriously turned around with a sly squint, " **...But also in time!** "

Doctor and Clara glanced at each other with no verbal agreement.

"Wow!" Clara exclaimed in a fake surprise.

"Impossible!" added the Doctor.

"Ah yes, I know, it's hard to believe, nevertheless it's true", the Stranger proudly answered. "It's like, well, you know... How do I put it?.. How shall I explain this to you?.." she thought. "See, you, humans, are a bit retarded, you won't get it anyway. At least, the ancestor for sure, I can see it in his eyes. ..Or maybe it's just his dementia — who knows.  
Okay, the thing is as follows. Have you ever seen the cartoon that the guys from _the Beatles_ made? There was that _yellow submarine_... I also used to have one, in fact. And so in this very cartoon, remember: there was the river of time at something of the kind. So basically you can travel in the matter of time as simple as that. But it's not like a straight line, rather an endless ocean!"

The Stranger glanced at her companions expecting to see delight.

"...yeah, we are just speechless", the Doctor answered shortly. This time he wasn't in the mood to indulge in long feigned tirades.

"Okay, not exactly what I wanted but that will do"

The time machine shook a couple more times and finally materialised. Or not.

"Right, what's up?" the Stranger opened the door of her still blinking box, squatted at the entrance and looked down.

The TARDIS didn't seem to become material again. The picture behind the door would appear and vanish again while the box itself, somewhere in the air, was trying to materialise, still just blinking.

"Your wonder machine is out of order", the Time Lord stated the fact.

"It is your pension that is out of order. But it's all fine with my machine. It is just supposed to be so", the Stranger replied in confusion. "And anyway, how can I be sure that it wasn't you who broke me everything while trying to fix the floor?" she looked out again. "So. Bad news: we are hovering somewhere above the ground. We'll have to jump. We just gonna catch the materialisation phase and jump out of the TARDIS one by one. Luckily, it's not that high. Eight inches or something"

The Doctor raised his eyebrows in doubt and walked over to the Time Lady. He took a simple yo-yo-like device out of his pocket and threw it down on a cord.

"11 feet 17 inches. Stranger, are you kidding us?!" he was indignant when the device returned to him with accurate data about the distance.

"Oh come on, don't be so nasty! What is the difference after all... Anyway, we have to jump. The old one, you go first.

"Hey, why me?!"

"You're not a big loss. Move!" just as soon as the TARDIS materialised again, the Stranger pushed the Doctor out.  
  


" **Doctor!** " Clara shouted and ran to the exit. Luckily, in the noise of the broken TARDIS, the Stranger didn't manage to hear it.

Down below, the Time Lord got on his feet, groaning and dusting himself off. He glanced on the blinking TARDIS spreading his arms.

"Right. Safe", the Stranger concluded. "And now you, Clara"

"What? Me?!"

"Well... Ladies first?"  
  


"That's okay, Clara, go ahead, I'll catch you, don't be scared", the Doctor shouted to her.

Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes the girl took a step out. The Doctor helped her land.

"Gotcha", he carefully put her down. "And now we'll have to wait for this disaster to come down"

The Strangers didn't really fancy jumping from such a distance. Dangling her bare feet outward, she was clinging onto the threshold. Hanging in this awkward position, the Time Lady was waving her legs pitifully, desperately trying to feel any ground, which was incredibly far away.

"Clara, do you have your phone with you? I want to film this moment. Or at least take a pic", the Doctor whispered to his companion and got an angry look in response.

The Stranger might have stayed like this for some longer but the TARDIS seemed to have different plans in this regard. The materialisation phase ended and the time machine vanished in the air leaving its owner with no support. The Stranger fell helplessly to the ground.

"Ouch! Damn you old heck! Standing and staring — you could've caught me to?"

"Or else I could've not", the Doctor replied indifferently.

***

This turned out to be a spaceship. The Doctor and his companions found themselves in a technical room. The sound of the TARDIS, very atypical for the ship's engine, caught the attention of the engineering support crew. Several young men in statutory uniform ran up to those three.

"Немедленно доложите ваш статус"

Doctor and Clara looked at each other in confusion. The fact is that the language in which they were spoken to by chance turned out to be _earthly Russian_.

"Wait, but you said that the TARDIS translates everything", Clara whispered.

"That's right, but do you see at least any TARDIS around here?"

His was a reasonable and compelling argument. But the people in uniform were clearly unsatisfied with this delay.

"Повторяю: объясните, как вы попали на этот корабль"

The Stranger's cosmic eyes gleamed with joy.

"Oh, how long have I dreamed of this!" she turned to her companions. "Guys, just watch this"

The Time Lady confidently turned to the questioners and answered in pure Russian:  
 ** _"_** ** _Не_** ** _спрашивай_** ** _меня_** ** _как_** ** _!"_**

**__ **

***

The Stranger talked to the people in uniform and after that, the uninvited travellers were assigned to the questioning room before making a final decision on what to do with them.

"So you speak Russian?" this time Clara admired sincerely.

"Ah yes, I've travelled a lot without my TARDIS so had to adapt. Earthly languages are not that complicated and the brains of a Time Lord is capable of quickly gaining and processing information"

"Incredible!"

"Oh yes, incredible. _I am incredible_ ", the Stranger with a satisfied face watched the flaring delight in Clara's eyes.  
  


"Right, now if you're that super incredible", the Doctor broke the idyll, "then maybe you have an idea of how do we understand them? Without involving your excessive charisma, if you please"

"Well, actually I do have a little thought...", the Time Lady fished out her pocket two small flat metal chips. "Here you go. Adjust to your neck, somewhere over the carotid artery. They implant automatically under the skin and transmit signals to the brain, capturing sound waves and transferring to the language of the user considering even the dialect. So don't worry, the old one, there will be a Scottish accent for you"  
  


"Great, but how do I remove it later?" Clara asked when the device was already under her skin.

"Lol, well, just sort of pick it up with a pair of compasses or, say, a needle or something", giggled the Stranger.  
  


"Don't listen to her!" the Doctor calmed down his companion. "You just have to press on this place and the chip will reappear outside. **I've seen this technology before** "

"Where?" the Time Lady looked at him in bewilderment, still mistaking him for a simple human. "What kind of nonsense is that, huh?"

"Oh, well... Hm... This was in a film, yes. You probably haven't seen it"

***

The uninvited guests were taken to a small room.

"Excuse me, we have to take this away", one of the soldiers reached for the guitar behind the Doctor's back.

"What? No. By no means. This is my guitar and I do not give it away. Take _this hobbit_ instead", the Time Lord shoved the Stranger forward.

"Oi!" she objected. "You'd better take this ancient reptile. He's mad, aggressive and highly unstable. Just look at him: I'm sure the WWI started because of him"  
  


"You two, both handed in the luggage and sat down!" commanded Clara and the Time Lords calmed down.

"I'm not giving away my guitar anyway"

"You have already", Oswald snatched the instrument from him and gave to the soldiers. "I beg you, let's talk faster, I don't want to stay with these two in a small room for a long time", she said to the people in uniform.

***

All the three sat down at the table opposite a soldier.

"The reason for being on the ship? Way of entry?" the man began severely his interrogation.

"Accident", replied the Doctor shortly.

"Nutters", said Clara.

"Water closet", the Stranger crossed her arms.

The man made a confused face.

"Well, what is so unclear? The water closet, the toilet, the loo. You know, the bright blue plastic box, you've never seen it or what? Time and space machine goes whoop-whoop and flies away. And this is actually exactly what it did"

"So you're _time travellers_?" the soldier blinked bewilderedly.  
  


"Yes, we've seen much and we know much. We can either be useful or incredibly dangerous. So you'd better cooperate with us", the Doctor frowned and applied his stern glare, which clearly had an effect.

Further interrogation turned to be from the Doctor's side. If the Stranger hadn't been so smug, she would've surely noted his charisma. The Time Lord was persuasive and authoritative enough to extract all the information to understand the situation.

"For quite a long time already the human race has been interacting and interbreeding with alien beings, borrowing technologies and cultural customs, developing. Hence we've confidently become the full part of the intergalactic community. The population of Earth has colonised a group of small planets. Nowadays the terrestrial society is a mixture of humans, hybrids, mutants and space migrants", the soldier explained.

"Yay, the tolerant society!" the Stranger proclaimed joyfully. "As I've always said: humans and Scots are equal", she shoved the Doctor.

"What are you, Scots?" the soldier winced. "I hope it's _not contagious_... Anyway, the point is that peacetime is over, and the war of two planets has broken out"

"But why?" Clara asked.

"Same old. Resources and territories. And this very ship is a simple military practice. With vessels like this, we transport the wounded, the elderly, women, children — those who are not fit for military operations"  
  


"Oh, I have another one for you", the Stranger chuckled glancing at the Doctor.

"Don't be so self-critical", he shut her up.  
  


"You are now", the soldier continued, "on a dinghy ship. At the moment, we are heading for our planet, away from the hostilities, to the planet where the rule of immunity is applied"

"The taboo planet. Brilliant!" the Time Lady nodded. "Just awesome, genius! How do you like that, Elon Musk?"

"Oh, so you know the Great Engineer of the Earth, the creator of Cyberpunk for already 120 years?"

"Seems so. I still owe him a hundred of bucks"

***

The conversation was over. Three new passengers got from the interrogation room with full authority to move around the ship.

"So", the Stranger took the initiative as the Time Lady. "Since we are stuck here and there's nothing else to do, I suggest that we wander around and meet new friends. Cutie Clara, follow me. And you, grandfather, try not to die anytime soon, okay?"

"Honestly, I'm not even nearly that old. It's just that the light falls like that", the Doctor frowned.

"Pfff, the light? You're one foot in the grave and the other in the mortuary. Let's go already"

All three headed along the corridors of the spaceship of a completely plain design. They came across various creatures, some of which were similar to humans, some — barely resembled them.

The Stranger's attention was captured some green-skinned alien.

"She seems familiar to me..."

"Ah, well, this is one of the Tiffles. An alien species with several exceptional anatomical features, such as five mouths"

"Right! Exactly. Oh yes, _now I do remember_ ", interrupted the Time Lady and approached the alien. "Hello, madam, and **_greetings to you from Casanova_**!"

"From Casanova?" Tiffle at first was surprised and then frowned. "Oh well then, greetings back to him from me and my brood of 50 cubs. By the way, once you meet him, tell him we're still waiting for his _child support_ "

"Ohh, ahem... Yep, surely. Once I meet him, right. Definitely. Have a nice day!"

The Stranger began to push Clara and the Doctor away leading them aside.

"Come on, guys, it's getting not very comfortable here. I feel increasing tension, so to speak..."

As soon as they walked away Clara stopped her.

"Wait, so you knew Giacomo Casanova himself, right?"

" _Giacomo?.._ " the Stranger frowned perplexedly. "Well, yes, perhaps, yes, right ** _. We had a sort of intercourse_** "

"Oh, I see..." Clara looked away in embarrassment.

"No, you bloody don't. Not in that sense!" the Stranger exhaled calming down and continued. "It's a very unusual connection. He's like a younger brother of mine but even closer. It's hard for you, humans, to grasp. Well, imagine you meet yourself from the past, say, from five years ago", she smiled tenderly at her memories. "He is still so young, naive, helpless and childishly awkward and so cute. And so I always feel like telling him everything, helping him, protecting from anything in the world. But this is the tough thing — it's impossible to protect one from everything. He must be giver the right to make his own mistakes. Besides, it's always so funny to watch him getting out of all those troubles knowing that eventually, everything's gonna be fine", she closed her eyes for a second, and suddenly the swoosh of the guillotine blade sounded in her ears like an echo of the distant past. The Time Lady opened her eyes.  
  


"Wow", uttered Clara, impressed by the sincere story. "Very unclear but so interesting"

"Very clear but so uninteresting", the Doctor rolled his eyes.  
  


"I wish you would get beaten with a bagpipe back at your homeland, you heartless old idiot!" the Stranger blurted out.

"Okay, at least arrhythmia won't strike me", he sneered in response but then suddenly stopped. He noticed a meteor flying straight into the ship. "Seems like the bagpipe beating is cancelled"

The rock was too close that it hit the vessel. The ship itself, luckily, didn't get badly damaged but the passengers were shaken noticeably.

"I thought spaceships are supposed to avoid collisions with different objects", noted Clara.

"That's right. They **are** ", the Stranger was holding the girl during the shaking.

"I don't like this. Seems like they don't really care for the ones they are saving", the Doctor stared intently into a large porthole of the ship. "Just look at this", the vessel was firmly heading towards the cloud of meteors. The silence suddenly fell. "I guess it's still not too late to find my guitar"

***

"How did you get here?"  
  


"Don't ask me how", the Stranger interrupted the captain of the spaceship. "We are the ones who care. Namely, we care to find out what's wrong with this vessel"

"A damn meteor has just hit us", added the Doctor. "A giant clump of rock from outer space. And now we are here to tell the captain that he is just a useless piece of human"  
  


"Let it be known to you", the captain replied calmly, "that I am one of the best military pilots and our control system is entirely automated. And as long as the computer displays that everything is in order — it is so"

"In order? Really? We've just been jolted like an unlucky matador in a fight with a bull", Clara retorted.

"Those are just space pits", the captain snorted. "This happens. Listen, we do have reasons to trust the computer. But where are the reasons to trust you?"

The Doctor impatiently grabbed him by the shoulders and turned to face a huge window.

"This is our right to be trusted to", there was a whole cascade of meteors ahead and the ship was going right there. "Are **_our lives_** accepted as a good reason?"

***

"But this just can't be! Any technical error is excluded — the system is terrified flawlessly, no failures occurred"

"Well, then this is all rubbish — your system. Let's take a look what's wrong with the computer", the Stranger opened the panel and started digging into the microcircuits.

"Somebody stop her! She's gonna kill us even before the meteor cascade"  
  


"There's nothing we can do about that", the Doctor crossed his arms and sighed. "I'm afraid, she was born this way"

The captain was about to push her away, but the Time Lady stopped him with a joyful exclamation.

"Aha!" she straightened up, holding some detail in her hand. "A jammer virus. They are commonly used to shut down huge computers. Like just turn off the screen and instead put there a picture with 'It's okay, you're not gonna die'. Well in fact you are"

"What the..." captain snatched the detail and examined it carefully. "Damn, it has the embed of our enemies. This was preplanned. From the very beginning, we were led to our death!"

"Then lead us back, mister best military pilot", the Doctor answered sarcastically.

The captain began to conclusively move the levers and press the buttons but this didn't help.

"The control panel is affected. And seems that this has nothing to do with your mentally unstable friend"

"Hey!" the Stranger blurted out with resentment.

"I cannot control the ship from here"

Another space object hit the vessel. Passengers and the crew could hardly stay on their feet. The imminent threat was getting closer.

"There must be a spare room of manual control in a spacecraft of this type", the Doctor realised.

"That's right, there really is one", the captain perked up.  
  


"Hold on, the old one, when did you become such an **expert in alien space technology**?" the Stranger asked. The Time Lord blinked.

" 'Star Trek' "

"Fair enough"  
  


"Captain", the Stranger commanded. "Where is the manual control room here? Now you're deploying us from here and we're staying intact"

"I'm sorry ma'am, but I'm afraid I can't help you with this", he was embarrassed. "For a long time, we've been flying with no incidents. Since everything is automated nobody cared for the manual control, we never bothered"  
  


"And that is, you want to say that you don't even know where on YOUR ship is the emergency control?" Clara was angry. "And you still dare to call yourself the best pilot?"

"Because he's the only one", concluded the Doctor. "It's getting senseless. We're gonna find it ourselves", he took Clara and ran down the corridor.

"You don't understand", the captain began to make excuses. "All the best are now at the front but her little was required and..."

"Uh-huh, yep", the Stranger grunted indifferently not even listening. She was staring at the monitor, which was still showing nothing but a static picture. And it suddenly dawned upon her. She took a whole thermos out of her pocket, made a sip from it and gave to her interlocutor. The Stranger began to delve into the system.

"What are you doing?"

"Can't you see? Breaking it"

The computer just for a moment came to life and those second were just enough to display the map of the vessel before the screen went blank again.

"But how did you..?"

"Spontaneously. Don't ask me how. I switched all the power to get past the blocker. This worked briefly"

"But still you couldn't have..."

"Remembered? Ha! It takes second for the Time Lord to process the information", she took another sip from the thermos. "Follow me!"

***

Doctor and Clara were rushing through the corridors and rooms, opening every door and looking into every compartment.

"I must help the Stranger. I must save everyone. I must find..." he turned his head and saw a storage room with confiscated things, " **...the guitar** " his flange was caught by his beloved rock guitar, which was taken from him upon arrival.

"Doctor, no!" Clara grabbed his shoulder.

"Doctor, yes!" the Time Lord freed himself and ran to the cherished instrument.

The ship shook again and the Doctor fell to the floor with his trophy.

"It's alright, Clara. The guitar is safe"

"I'm very happy for it", the girl grumbled inevitably.

"And what were we doing?"

"Saving everyone!"

***

The Stranger managed to unmistakably find the control room according to the map. Thought this didn't give much as the door was sealed.

"What is that you want, stupid door?! My DNA? No way, I know what happens when you stick your DNA anywhere. Thanks, **_Venice was enough for me_** "

While the Time Lady was trying to knock the door open with her bare foot, Clara and the Doctor ran past.

"What are you doing?"

"Ah well, rubbing against the door. A habit inherited from Casanova, you know... I'm trying to open it, can't you see?"

The Doctor chuckled, leaned over to the blocking system and discreetly using his sonic glasses opened the pass.

The room turned out to be completely empty. Only huge windows in entire walls were there to see those large rocks outside.

"There's nothing here!" declared Clara.

"Brilliant", concluded the Time Lord. "We are doomed"

The Stranger took a step forward. Then again and again, not believing that everything is just as simple as that. She ran her hand through the air, wanting to make sure.

And not in vain: she touched a _thin thread_ that became visible for a second, glittering silver in the space of the room. This barely perceptible strong made a pleasant sound and the ship mover slightly aside.  
The Stranger realised what was happening and ran her hand in another place, touching other strings. The ship came back to the course.

"It's amazing", Clara drawled, fascinatedly. "What is it?"

"Technology of the future. From the far but incredibly beautiful planet Rix", explained the Stranger. "A type of space navigation system based on sound waves. It is commonly called **_'strings of soul'_** "

"And you know how to deal with this?"

"Nope. Even better: **_I can play any strings_** ", the Time Lady smiled cheerfully.

***

The Stanger stepped into the room, took a deep breath, and began the most a significant concert in her life, for the sake of all the passengers of the spacecraft.

Her hands here confident and quick, she really seemed so familiar with the strings.

She had to jump up to reach some threads, the farthest ones she would touch with her coat. The Time Lady was moving deftly and gracefully as if dancing in this interweaving of the strings.

The Doctor and Clara, along with the others, were watching with delight as the vessel continued successfully manoeuvre between the meteors.

"Fantastic! It works! We are saved!" Oswald jumped joyfully, when suddenly they were knocked by another object.

Yes, the Stranger certainly played masterly — for two or even five people, but the controls were definitely designed for more pilots.

Despite her best efforts, the Time Lady could not navigate the ship alone.  
Another space stone tougher the vessel.

"No, it doesn't work", whispered Clara.

The Doctor looked worriedly at the Stranger, then glanced at his guitar.

"So the strings", he handed the instrument to his companion. "Hold this", the Time Lord dashed to the Stranger in the control room. " _Strings of soul, you say?_ "

"Well, you can try to **play on mine ones** ", the Stranger grinned.

Both began to play. Chaotic, awkward, out of tune and rhythm. But soon the pilots adjusted to each other, felt a common wave, merged mentally together forming absolute harmony.  
For just one moment, the Stranger got confused as she was ready to swear that she could clearly feel **the two beating hearts** of her partner. That was right: their **_four heart for the two of them_** were beating in one rhythm. But the Time Lady still refused to recognise the Doctor in her accidental companion.

***

The music of the strings of soul allowed the ship to escape the meteor cascade and to deliver thousands of lives to their destination.  
Doctor, Clara and the Stranger we're landed out on the planet with the others.

"Ah, the taste of life is not that disappointing after all"

"Yes, but how do we go back to Earth now?" reminded the Doctor. The smile faded from the Stranger's face.

"How do I know? My TARDIS is unstable in all senses. We'll have to come up with something... Well actually, what's so wrong for you about that? This is a real promised land for you — only old and diseased around"

Clara realised that another dispute was about to break out and hurried to intervene.

"Listen, Stranger, if we do find your TARDIS what are you gonna do?"

" **Seek for the Doctor** ", she replied with no hesitation. "I must tell him personally what a bastard he is. Once I almost created the steampunk and he went 'you had to wait for me', 'I would come', 'I would rescue you', 'just call for me'. Nothing like that! I've been waiting for him for two months with the boiling floor in my TARDIS but somehow I don't see any Doctor, you know. Hundred per cent sure he has already regenerated into some eyebrowless weirdo or something"

"And how then do you recognise him if he can take any guise?" the Time Lord asked with a challenge but then stopped and explained himself. "Well, if I get the concept right, of course"

"You understand nothing, you, a product of the 19th century. This is the Doctor — **_I recognise him anyway_** ", the Stranger smiled dreamily. "We've known each other for ages or even more. As soon as I see him, my two hearts immediately tell me that this is him"

"Ngk, sorry then", he gave up barely holding his laughter. "How can I, just some primitive human, understand the subtle soul of the Time Lord"

The Stranger was satisfied with this answer. She turned away and dropped her hand into her pocket.

"Oh, what is that? An Apple! Anybody wants an apple? No one? Clara, are you hungry?" the Time Lady with a smile held out the fruit.

Oswald stumbled back and whispered to the Doctor barely audibly:  
"Why does it seem to me that this apple has survived more than I?"

"Because it doesn't only seem", he grinned back.  
  


"Right, okay", the Stranger uttered with slight resentment. "What is that you say on Earth? _An apple a day keeps **the Doctor** away?_ Huh?" she started perplexedly at the fruit, suddenly deciding it was the cause of all her troubles. "Keeps. The Doctor. Away", she repeated slowly. "Ah, damn it, flipping apple!"

The Stranger threw it angrily somewhere into the distance. Immediately after that, a stifled groan was heard from that side.

"Oops", the Stranger realised. "Getting out of here. Quickly", she grabbed Clara by the hand and persistently dragged her away, looking around cautiously.

"But still we won't get far out of here. Your miracle toilet is still not with us", the Time Lord grunted frowning.

"Right, well, what do you want me to do, huh? You think I can simply _snap my fingers_ of something and it will just emerge out of nothing?"

The Doctor thought for a couple of seconds and then snapped.  
As if by magic, at that very moment a metallic strumming broke the air and the Stranger's TARDIS materialised nearby.

The owner of the machine opened her mouth blushing with annoyance, kicked the ground with her bare foot and went to her vessel:  
"You haven't seen that!"  
  


"So, how long have you been capable of that?" Clara asked quietly.

"I've never been", answered the Doctor. "Pure coincidence. Though for such accident I would even give my guitar"

***

The Stranger brought her new friends back to the same very spot where she had picked them up. This time the TARDIS didn't act up and delivered the passengers without any surprises.  
Though the time was just a bit different. It was the same day but the sun was already just above the horizon, filling the canyon and surroundings with golden, pink and reddish rays.

"So, time to say goodbye then?" the Time Lady smiled awkwardly. She had already got used to these two; he liked Clara so much and the old man had become such a nice victim for her jokes. "It's not that I will actually miss you. Especially you, the ancient one. But after all, this was nice, eh? Perhaps someday we even could... What do you think, cutie Clara? See, I don't even regret remembering your name"

Oswald smiled back coquettishly. The Stranger turned and walked back to the TARDIS. She never liked long goodbyes but there was one question still bothering her.

"Oi, you, pensioner, _why the heck would you take a guitar to the middle of nowhere_? Who were you going to be begging for alms? What's that all about?"

"Ah, you know.." the Doctor took the instrument from behind his back. "I just wanted to remind something **to an old friend of mine** "

He ran his fingers over the strings; the music echoed all over the place.  
The Stranger frowned ignoring this act, explaining things with senile quirks.  
But there still was something about that.

The Time Lady slowed down; she stopped halfway to her TARDIS without looking back, where the melody was coming from. This was Ed Sheeran's song that _once had been devoted **to her**_.

_'...Barefoot on the grass_

_With you between my arms...'_

In the Time Lady's head, a vivid picture of those old days appeared when she was once sitting on someone's console and boasting about this fact.

And suddenly everything fell into place; things have become so clear and obvious. The pieces finally fitted and all the oddities have had the explanation.  
As bright as day — and how could the Stranger have ever been so blind all that time?

" **Doctor?** " she asked still not daring to turn around.

"Doctor Who?"

***

And somewhere not far away there was the blue police box. The one that familiar that has already become native.  
The last chords sounded.

"Doctor"

"Stranger", the Time Lord smiled either his successful joke or such a brilliantly used chance to teach his friend a lesson. "You would feel this with both of your heart, you said?"

"Ah right, how didn't I figure it out straight away? Stupid jokes, absurd look and a paltry girlfriend"  
  


"Hey!" Clara stood up for herself. "Since when have I turned from a cutie into a paltry girlfriend?"

"Shut up, sweetheart, I'm not talking to you. Seriously, Doctor, where do you even find them?"

Clara got completely angry. The Doctor only remained silent, glancing at his companion, then at the Stranger, and touched the strings of his rock guitar again.  
Music was pouring lazily through the thick sunset air as the Time Lord along with Clara Oswald was walking slowly towards his TARDIS, _leaving the Stranger behind_.

"You know", he noted finally, "this your Ed Sheeran was probably right. Despite everything, you still _deserve a song **of your own**_ "

The Doctor turned to the Time Lady making it clear that there was no place for him in this song.  
Now it was his turn to let her go.

"Stranger!" he called out to her already leaning out from behind the door of his blue box.

The girl looked inquiringly at him, with eyes full of loneliness, resentment and disappointment.  
The Doctor threw something into her hands.

Then there was a strum. A whirlwind rose. The TARDIS was gone.

The Stranger unclenched her palms. It was a flat metal device she was holding — the same one that had once been her **_farewell Christmas present to the Doctor_** already two lifetimes ago.

Now even the last reminder of the Time Lady had returned to her.

The wind in the canyon was playing with her hair and drying her tears. The sun completely disappeared behind the horizon and the hologram from the device was still showing: _"Don't ask me how"_


End file.
